Hurricane Milton Effort

Updated December 16, 2024

OPC Disaster Response Coordinator David Nakhla and OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries’ member John Voss visited the Tampa, Florida region in early December to assess the needs resulting from Hurricane Milton and are asking for your help!

Described as the fifth-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on October 9, 2024, killing a reported 32 people in the U.S. Among the homes of OPC families impacted were those of deacon Gary Stayte, Andrew Maynor, and Pastor Dan Halley, all of Bay Haven Presbyterian, a mission work of the Presbytery of the South. While the Staytes moved into a nearby rental and their damaged rental home requires no assistance, the Maynards and Halleys face significant challenges.

The Maynor home suffered over a foot of flooding, and the couple is awaiting flood insurance determinations before repairs can be made. The Halley home, purchased in 2022 and without flood insurance (since it is not in a flood zone) sustained four to six inches of water damage. In the process of removing wet drywall, some un-permitted walls were discovered, increasing the remediation work required.

Local deacons led the efforts to clear and dehumidify both homes. Despite the shortage of housing in that area, the Lord has graciously provided the Halleys with a furnished rental home, funded by their church, Bay Haven OPC, but long-term concerns remain. Raising the house isn’t feasible, but potential flood-mitigation efforts—like improving drainage and waterproofing walls—are being explored with guidance from local deacon David Bell, a civil engineer whose specialty is stormwater management.

Since the hurricane, there were deliberations, scheduling delays, and assessments needed before concluding on the course of action for the Halley home. Plans are now underway to address permitting, recruit volunteers, and organize the effort. Work is anticipated to begin in February and take about five months.

Here is where we need your help. We are in need of:

a site coordinator for the oversight of the repairs
a volunteer coordinator for scheduling volunteers (an on-site or remote role)
a hospitality coordinator for overseeing the lodging and feeding of the volunteers are now being sought.

Once those positions are filled, the effort can begin and we will be seeking volunteers, Lord willing. If you are interested in serving in one of these roles, please contact opcdisasterresponse@opc.org.

As of today, the total for the gifts received to the 2024 Hurricanes Fund is more than $127,000. We give thanks to God for the generosity of his people toward those who are suffering. Donations will continue to be received to this fund until there is a sense that there is enough to cover the needs.

Follow along with this effort on our website: OPCDisasterResponse.org or on Facebook, Instagram or X.

Please pray as this effort gets underway that God would continue to provide generously for all affected by this year’s hurricanes, and especially these OPC families, that He would give them his peace and that He would be glorified in this ministry of mercy toward his sheep.